4 reasons to choose natural stone tiles
03.2022
Discover 4 reasons tiles are a smart, sustainable and stylish choice for elegant and contemporary walls and floors
4 reasons to choose tiles for your walls and floors
Timeless and elegant, natural stone is the perfect material for floors and walls if you are looking to achieve an effect that is out of the ordinary. Wonderfully versatile, it is suitable for any type of environment, from vast open plan living rooms to the most bijou, compact bathrooms.
The secret, however, lies in the choice of tile and the type of finish, as this is what brings a living room, a study, even a boardroom to life, transforming it into an intriguing and eye-catching space. Without doubt, tiles are a smart solution for unique, contemporary walls and floors and there are at least 4 reasons.
Natural stone as a design feature
Natural stone tiles make a striking aesthetic impact, which is why many home décor aficionados are such fans of them. They never fail to bring out the innate characteristics of this extraordinary natural material, interpreting it in a myriad of ways, depending on the texture. This is an area where we think it’s fair to say we have some knowledge, as we have been developing innovative finishes for decades, designed to minimise visible unsightly joints between tiles so that the final effect is fluid and captivating.
Perennial favourite Bamboo is one such example. The result of a process that is more similar to the techniques used in precision engineering rather than the stone sector, it creates incredible plays of light and shadow that make it almost impossible to see where one tile finishes and the next begins.
This technique and its ensuing optical effect can also be found in other iconic finishes such as Infinito, Rain and Plissé where tiles are laid to create a continuous canvas in natural stone, uninterrupted by visible lines, other than those that are part of the textures themselves.
We have consciously developed a select palette of stones in elegant neutral tones with a matt finish, generally avoiding the traditional highly polished look associated with ostentatious décor.
In place of large, shiny slabs of marble or old-fashioned granite tiles, our preference is to develop innovative, understated designs that show off the beauty of natural stone with just a simple twist. Our Romboo texture, here in classic Bianco Carrara marble, is created by cutting offcuts of Bamboo at a 45-degree angle into small rhomboid-shaped tiles that create a stunning three-dimensional effect when laid. Perfect for a feature wall, Romboo is an example of how imaginative thinking can result not only in an original new product, but also in reducing the impact on the environment.
Craftsmanship and natural stone
Stone tiles were originally been developed as an alternative to large, unwieldy slabs of stone, and over time they have come to be appreciated for their versatility and ease of handling.
Their formats are designed to minimise waste, making for smarter, more sustainable solutions not only for the way the stone is cut, but also packaging and logistics. Experienced craftspeople, cutting-edge techniques and technology and attention to aesthetics are the cardinal rules in producing natural stone tiles in large numbers without skimping on the quality of their finishing.
We are particularly proud of the artisanal skill involved in the production of our stone tiles, and this is an aspect that we cherish. Our team of experts have decades in experience in fields from architecture to design to mineralogy, and this wonderful mix of skills, accompanied by an enduring passion for natural stone, represents the best of Made in Italy values, appreciated throughout the world for centuries.
Our natural stone tiles are the fruit of the know-how, skill and attention to detail that only the human eye and hand can truly deliver, so we want to ensure they arrive at their new home in perfect condition. That’s why every single tile produced in our Tuscan factory is examined by one of our artisan then placed in protective packaging before being sent around the world to create elegant, refined interiors (and often, exteriors too).
The practicality of natural stone
Among natural stone’s numerous advantages are its hardwearing properties. Tough, difficult to scratch and able to withstand heavy weights and pressure, it is ideal for those areas of a home subject to high traffic or intense wear and tear. Regardless of the size or layout of the space, stone tiles are an effective and exceptionally high-quality solution as they are versatile, quick and easy to lay and, compared with using larger formats, involve substantially less waste.
The benefits don’t end here. Natural stone tiles are easily replaced if you are renovating or want to change your décor. And, if you decide, for example, to expand a space, perhaps by removing a wall, you simply add new tiles to the existing ones, something that becomes more complex with other types of larger formats. This makes a décor scheme longer lasting, and because stone is incredibly durable, it represents a smart investment.
From a creative point of view, tiles offer fantastic scope as you can choose to lay them in contemporary or more traditional patterns or experiment to find unique new layouts. The timeless nature of natural stone, however, ensures that the result will always be pleasing and an inspiring background to your daily lifestyle for years to come.
In short, tiles represent an ideal compromise between aesthetics and practicality, or, to use a cliché, the perfect combination of function and form.
A sustainable design choice
If the above reasons weren’t enough to convince you that stone tiles are a winning choice, there is also their sustainable nature. They represent an environmentally-friendly product that, by the very nature of the material they are made from, will last for decades, even centuries. They are also cut in such a way as to optimise every slab of precious stone, thus reducing needless waste.
Our commitment to a sustainable future goes further, however. Many years ago we made a conscious move to researching ways to further minimise any wastage of the incredible resources gifted to us by Mother Nature. The obvious starting point was the offcuts that we produce every day and our first solution, and one we are extremely proud of, was Lithoverde® which gives new life to beautiful stone that would otherwise be thrown away. The world’s first recycled stone texture, it is 99% made from offcuts from quarries around the world, with the remaining 1% a natural resin used to bind them. We create a new block which is then cut into slabs and again into tiles, each of which is absolutely unique. Lithoverde® contributes points in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) table, instituted by the U.S: Green Building Council, the leading international authority in sustainable architecture.
This innovative texture is just one example of our commitment to developing sustainable products and is also proof that beautiful design does not need to come at the cost of the environment.
Natural stone tiles are a winning solution, perfect for beautiful and hardwearing twenty-first century walls and floors. Their versatility, functionality and aesthetics are all key characteristics, but on top of this, when you choose Salvatori products, there is there is the knowledge that behind each tile and design is a wealth of Made in Italy experience, quality and passion.
Last, but most emphatically not least, our tiles represent a commitment to a more sustainable business model, one which demonstrates the utmost respect for our planet which has, after all, created a wonderful material that we have the privilege – and therefore responsibility – to work with every day.
If you would like to know more about the world of Salvatori textured tiles, we invite you to browse our site, where you will find hundreds of inspiring images of beautiful interiors and exteriors in natural stone. If you have any questions, or would like a complimentary design consultation with one of our experts, please get in touch.
You’ve agreed designs with your client, selected the materials, had the budget approved, and now you’ve reached the phase of the project where it’s time to transform your creative vision into reality.
Now, we may be ever so lightly biased but it’s difficult to argue that natural stone is an extraordinary material.
